122.SAB

Located halfway between Luang Prabang and the capital Vientiane, Vang Vieng has become the leading destination for all young Western tourists traveling in Asia. The ‘backpackers’ come to seek adventure and thrill. The natural site consists of karst mountains with natural caves and the proximity of the capital makes this city an important element of the country tourism development programs. Located in the Vang Vieng city center, the hotel Ban Sabai is located on the banks of the Nam Song River (tributary of the Mekong) in a highly vegetated area.

The site is characterized by a steep slope of the natural plot and multiple points of view beyond the river, to the mountains. The principle was to preserve the original spirit of the resort which was made up of small individual bungalows. The establishment of a principle of concrete mega-structure can accommodate a contemporary reinterpretation of the bungalow - different room sizes were studied. The use of regional materials such as limestone, slate and wood contributes to the personalization of each space. The building has two different faces: the corridors and vertical circulation leading to the rooms enliven a rather opaque front facade while the back facade, is animated by a random shift of the terraces and is completely open to the surroundings.

The natural slope of the land has been preserved, it slips under the building via landscaping stairs. It leads to a spacious outdoor lobby consists of an open restaurant, an outdoor pool and different relaxing beaches that flow into the river. This shift keeps visual connections from entering the site while sparing as many trees as possible and providing direct access to the river.